1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus, a data supplying apparatus, a data processing method, a data supplying method, a data processing system and a storage medium, which are suitable for use in a system using a program running on a processing apparatus such as a personal computer for performing editing, referring, printing and the like of image data and using a program running on a processing apparatus such as a computer for supplying image data.
2. Related Background Art
The performance of a personal computer has advanced drastically and can easily perform various processes such as editing, referring and printing of image data, audio data, moving image data and the like (hereinafter simply called data or creative data).
Under such environments, data is widely distributed. For example, image data stored in a removable disk such as a CD-ROM can be bought by any one. Audio data, image data, or moving image data can be easily get by using an on-demand distribution service such as communication karaoke services via a network, typically the Internet. Illegal editing, printing, and referring of data are increasing as opposed to an intention of a copyright owner of creative data.
Obscene still and moving images can also be obtained on the creative image user side. A demerit is also increasing, such as an easy access to such still and moving images by minors. Under such backgrounds, a necessity of techniques for restricting to process creative data has become more important nowadays.
According to conventional techniques, a copyright notice, an originating location of image data, a restriction of editing and the like of image data are written in a comment field defined by JFIF (JPEG InterChange Format) which is one of image data formats using generally circulated JPEG compression algorithm. As the method of restricting illegal use of image data, such additional information is notified before the image data is processed, or the originating location of image data is searched if the image data is illegally used.
According to another method, such additional information is made to be forcibly confirmed when image data is to be edited or the image data is to be received at an image processing apparatus, to thereby intend to collectively restrict an illegal use of the image data. With such methods, image data provided with information that the image data is obscene data, may be rejected to be received at an image processing apparatus.
However, with the above-described conventional techniques, only a notice of inhibition contents is given and whether inhibition is accepted or not depends on a judgement on a user side. Therefore, even if there is a notice of restrictions of a partial paste of image data or an overlap on other image data, a user can execute the inhibited operation by neglecting the notice. Restrictions are therefore realized not at all in practice.
If obscene images are restricted by using conventional techniques, processing of the image data is required to be completely inhibited. Therefore, it is impossible to partially restrict the processing of image data, such as allowing image data to be referred to for admiration or enjoyment only and inhibiting editing, printing and the like of the image data by using an image processing apparatus.
In the case of audio data, copyright information may be written in an meta event which is one of data fields defined by an audio data file SMF (Standard MIDI File) using MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) as a standard of electronic audio data. However, similar to the image data, whether inhibition is accepted or not depends on a judgement on a user side, or processing of audio data is required to be completely inhibited, such as an inhibition of save.
In the case of moving image data, a moving image data file is prevailing which incorporates a moving image compression standard ISO 11172 of MPEG (Moving Picture Expert Group). Similar to audio data and image data, whether inhibition of processing moving image data is accepted or not depends on a judgement on a user side, or processing of obscene moving image data is required to be completely inhibited.
Moving image data recorded with a video recorder has moving image signals provided with a signal inhibiting an illegal copy. This also requires to collectively restrict processing of moving image data. Therefore, it is impossible to partially restrict the processing of moving image data, such as allowing a whole program of moving image data to be copied and inhibiting to form rushes by partially cutting moving image data.
According to the above-described conventional techniques, therefore, if there is any restriction on image data, either processing of the image data is required to be completely inhibited, or it relies upon a judgement on a user side to abandon restriction.
It is therefore difficult to realize restriction matching an intention of a creative data provider by all means. Further, a user of creative data may be restricted unnecessarily.